Unified messaging system

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a unified messaging system. The unified messaging system comprises a unified messaging system server and clients, such as personal computers, telephones, facsimile machines, and two-way paging machines connected via both land based and wireless connections. This system enables a user to access and retrieve a variety of messages, including voice mail messages, facsimiles, and electronic mail messages via a unified user interface that clearly distinguishes each message type using message identifiers, and segregates messages by type.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/507,830, filed Feb.22, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,642, and claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/125,746, filed Mar. 23, 1999, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to messaging systems, and moreparticularly to a system and method for accessing, displaying, andorganizing different message types, such as voice, telephone, andfacsimile messages.

B. Description of the Prior Art

Our homes and offices now not only have voice mail capable telephonesbut also have computers capable of receiving email messages andfacsimile messages. Traditionally, messages on each of these devices arestored on a separate messaging system. For example, email messages maybe stored on an email server, which can be accessed using an emailaccess program on a computer. Similarly, a home or office telephone usermay retrieve voice mail messages stored at a central location or on thelocal answering machine. Finally, a user may also retrieve facsimilemessages stored on a fax server using a computer terminal or a facsimilemachine.

Also, traditionally these messages are displayed on a terminal where auser may manipulate these messages using a graphic user interfaceassociated with the respective messaging system. For example, a typicalemail client on a user's computer lets the user access and manipulateemail messages stored on the email server. Similarly, a computer programwith a corresponding user interface may permit a user to access andmanipulate voice or facsimile messages located on a remote server.

While the ability to receive messages from a multiplicity of messagingdevices is convenient, in that users can be reached through the variousmessaging devices, the users have to check each one of the messagingdevices to receive their messages. They also have to remember and learndifferent commands or icons that implement the same functionality ondifferent messaging devices. Similarly, users have to use a differentlyarranged user interface when accessing their voice mail from a computerterminal as opposed to a telephone via the public telephone network. Theneed to access different devices and learn different user interfacescauses waste of time and errors on the part of the users while theyaccess their messages.

Some messaging systems may permit a user to receive messages of adifferent type—voice, email, facsimile—using a single user interface.Thus, a user may be able to access messages of all types from a singlecomputer terminal using a single interface. Such messaging systemsconventionally list all messages, regardless of the message type,chronologically.

Studies show, however, that users commit more errors when accessingmessages that are arranged chronologically, than when accessing messagesthat are arranged by message type. This is, perhaps, because the userinterface that displays messages of all types concurrently presents avery cluttered view and contributes to errors.

Also, other studies have shown that a particular user may perceive onemessage type as more important than other message types depending onwhether the user is at her home office or at work office. For example,facsimile messages may be more important to a user when the user is ather work office than when the user is at her home office.

In addition these studies have also shown that different types ofusers—home users, large corporate users, or small business users—mayrely on messages of one particular message type more than the othermessage types. For example, small business and home users may rely moreon voice mail messages than on email messages. On the other hand, largecorporate users may rely more on email messages than on voice mailmessages.

Finally, some users may perceive voice mail messages as more importantthan email messages or facsimile messages. Similarly, some users mayprefer to receive short messages through voice mail and longer messagesthrough email. None of the prior art messaging systems permit users toaccess and manipulate different types of messages, including voice mailmessages, facsimile messages, and email messages using a single userinterface that clearly identifies each message by its type and alsopermits the user to list only messages of one type that correspond to aselected icon.

As a result, a need exists for a system that enables a user to accessand retrieve a variety of messages, including voice mail messages,facsimiles, and electronic mail messages via a unified user interfacethat clearly distinguishes each message type using message identifiers,and segregates messages by type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide aunified messaging system. The unified messaging system comprises aunified messaging system server and clients, such as personal computers,telephones, facsimile machines, and two-way paging machines connectedvia both land based and wireless connections. This system enables a userto access and retrieve a variety of messages, including voice mailmessages, facsimiles, and electronic mail messages via a unified userinterface that clearly distinguishes each message type using messageidentifiers, and permits the user to segregate messages by type.

In one implementation consistent with the present invention a method isprovided that facilitates unified messaging. A unified messaging system(“UMS”) server stores a plurality of messages, where each message may bea voice message, a text message, or an image. The UMS server determinesthe type of each message, and assigns an identifier to each messagebased on its message type. Subsequently, the UMS server displays themessages with the assigned identifier for each message. In addition, aninterface for the UMS server permits the user to display only messagesof a particular type and in a particular order.

In another implementation, a method is provided to modify views in theunified messaging system. In accordance with this method the UMS serverstores a plurality of messages, where each message may be a voicemessage, a text message, or an image. The UMS server displays a view ofat least a subset of the messages, such that the view for each messageincludes information identifying the message and a message typeidentifier corresponding to the type of message. Upon receiving a signalindicating a selection to view only messages of a particular type, theUMS server modifies the view of the subset of the messages based on thereceived signal.

In yet another implementation, a method is provided that modifies viewsin the unified messaging system based on the destination of eachmessage. In accordance with this method, the UMS server stores aplurality of input messages, where each message has a particulardestination. Upon receiving a signal indicating a selection to view onlymessages identifying a particular destination, the UMS server modifiesthe view of the subset of the input messages based on the receivedsignal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate systems and methods consistentwith the invention and, together with the description, serve to explainthe advantages and principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an information network in which systemsconsistent with the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnection ofclients and servers through the information network and the details of aclient terminal and a unified messaging server in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a unified messaging system connectedthrough the information network such that multiple users may access thesystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram of a login screen that provides access tothe unified messaging system to authorized users in a manner consistentwith the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram of a screen that a user is presented withonce the user is granted access to the system in a manner consistentwith the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial diagram of the user interface of the unifiedmessaging system in which electronic mail messages are displayed in amanner consistent with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial diagram of the user interface of the unifiedmessaging system in which facsimile messages are displayed in a mannerconsistent with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a pictorial diagram of the user interface of the unifiedmessaging system in which voice mail messages are displayed in a mannerconsistent with the present invention; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict flow charts of the method steps for providingunified messaging in a manner consistent with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to an implementation consistentwith the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughoutthe drawings and the following description to refer to the same or likeparts.

Introduction

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention permit usersto access and manipulate messages of various types using a unifiedmessaging system. Users can selectively display messages of only onetype. The unified messaging system consists of client terminals andmessaging servers that are interconnected using an information network,such as the Internet, and a public telephone network.

Users, once logged on, can access and manipulate various types ofmessages—voice mail, email, and facsimiles—located on the messageservers. In addition to displaying messages of various typeschronologically, users can display messages by message type. Moreover,the unified messaging system also displays a status identifier for amessage, such as when a message is an urgent message it attaches anurgent identifier to that message. Users can switch to a view of anymessage type by selecting a unique icon associated with each messagetype. Finally, the unified messaging system attaches a “new message”identifier to incoming messages and removes the identifier when themessage is read.

Information Network Architecture for the Unified Messaging System

FIG. 1 is a schematic-diagram of an information network 100 in which aUnified Messaging System (“UMS”) consistent with the principles of thepresent invention may be implemented. Generally, the information network100 consists of client workstations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112)connected to server workstations (120 and 122) through a network 130.The network 130 may be a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network(WAN), or the Internet. Accordingly, the network 130 generally hasmultiple data links connecting individual local area networks formingthe global information network 100. Also, the data links linking thelocal area networks may be either land-based fiber optic cables orwireless links.

Once a client workstation, such as the client workstation 102 isconnected to the network 130, it can access any server workstation, suchas the Sever B 122 connected to the network 130. Indeed, clientworkstation 102 may be located in the United States while another clientworkstation 106 may be located in Sri Lanka and yet both clientworkstations may access the server workstation Server A 120 located inSpain. Similarly, the server workstations Sever A 120 and Server B 122need not be located in the same building, or even in the same country.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a client workstation and a serverworkstation interconnected through a network 130 used in implementationsof the present invention. A client workstation 220 is connected to aserver workstation 222 via the network 130. The client workstation 220includes conventional components, such as a processor 224, a memory 226,a bus 228, an I/O controller 230, a network interface 232, and a massstorage 234. The bus 228 provides connectivity and communications amongthese components. Furthermore, the bus 228 uses a bus protocol, such asIndustry Standard Architecture (ISA), Peripheral Component Interconnect(PCI), or Small Computer Systems Interconnect (SCSI). The clientworkstation 220 is coupled to the network 130 through the networkinterface 232.

In an alternative implementation, client workstation 220 may onlyinclude a processor 224, a memory 226, a bus 228, and a networkinterface card 232. Accordingly, this “thin” client workstation may nothave an I/O controller 230 connected to a mass storage 234. This isbecause all software components of the Unified Messaging System may belocated on the server workstation 222.

The server workstation 222 also includes conventional components, suchas a processor 234, a memory 236, a bus 238, an I/O controller 240, anetwork interface 242, and a mass storage 244. The bus 238 providesconnectivity and communications among these components. Furthermore, thebus 238 uses a bus protocol, such as Industry Standard Architecture(ISA), Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), or Small ComputerSystems Interconnect (SCSI). The server workstation 222 is coupled tothe network 130 through the network interface 242. In this manner, theclient workstation 220 may communicate with the server workstation 222via the network 130.

Unified Messaging System and Method

FIG. 3 illustrates a unified messaging system (“UMS”) architecture inwhich systems and methods consistent with the present invention may beimplemented. The UMS architecture consists of a client 310 and a UMSserver 340 connected via a computer network 350, and a telephone 320 anda facsimile machine 330 connected to the UMS server via a PublicSwitched Telephone Network (“PSTN”) 360. Client 310 may include anymechanism capable of communicating over network 350, including, forexample, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or athin client, such as a network computer. Accordingly, a user may accessUMS server 340 using an Internet connection, such as a TCP/IP compliantapplication running on client 310, or a user may use an application thatpermits the user to dial into the server 340 using conventionaltelephone lines. FIG. 3 shows only one client, one telephone, and onefacsimile machine connected to the server for simplicity. One skilled inthe art would recognize that additional clients, telephones, andfacsimile machines may connect to the server 340 in a number ofdifferent ways.

For example, a user may use telephone 320 to dial into UMS server 340via PSTN 360 to leave a voice mail for another user. In addition, a usermay retrieve email messages or facsimile messages using the client 310.Although FIG. 3 depicts client 310 connected to UMS server 340 vianetwork 350, a client, such as a personal computer may connect to UMSserver 340 via a land based or wireless connection through PSTN 360.Moreover, a user may access the messages stored on UMS server 340 usingother devices also, such as cellular (analog or digital) telephones, andother wireless devices, including two-way paging devices.

UMS server 340 receives all types of messages, including voice mailmessages, electronic mail messages, and facsimile messages, and storesthese messages for later retrieval by users. Thus, a user may send afacsimile message to another user which will be stored on the UMS server340 such that the other user may access the stored message using any ofthe clients connected to the UMS server 340. However, before a user canaccess a message stored on UMS server 340, the user must presentidentification information such that UMS server 340 can authenticate theuser's identity and permit the user to view or manipulate messagesaddressed to that user.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary access control screen 400consistent with the present invention. Accordingly, a user must enteridentifying information at a user ID 410 prompt. Different types ofinformation may be used as identifying information, for example, atelephone number allocated to a user may serve as user identification.Alternatively, a UMS administrator may assign each user a distinct username as identification, which may be a character string composed ofletters from a user's name, such as a character string concatenating auser's first name and last name. For example, a user whose real name isJoe Bloggs may have Joe_Bloggs as his user name.

Having entered an identification at the User ID 410 prompt, a user maybe required to enter a password at a Password 411 prompt. The passwordmay be an alphanumeric string initially set to “password” by theadministrator. This password may be changed by the user at a later timeor the UMS administrator may set up the system such that password changeis mandatory after first login or access to UMS server 340. Finally, auser may click on a button labeled login 412 to gain access to UMSserver 340.

UMS server 340 then may authenticate or verify that the enteredinformation matches one of the users' records, who is authorized toaccess the unified messaging system. If UMS server 340 finds such amatch, then it may present the user with a view of the messages ormessage headers of the messages sent to that particular user. Oneskilled in the art would recognize that other methods for userauthentication may be used, for example, finger prints or voicerecognition systems may be used.

FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram of a view of a user-interface 500 that auser is presented with once that user is granted access to UMS server340, consistent with the present invention. User-interface 500 displaysmessages of all types for a particular user chronologically, includinginformation indicating the type, status, subject, sender's name, anddate of the message for each message. A user may also control varioussettings associated with her mailbox using this interface. In addition,user-interface 500 has control buttons: All-inbox 502, E-Mail 504, Fax506, and Voice Mail 508 that permit a user to display messages of alltypes or messages of only one type corresponding to the selected button.

Accordingly, when a user selects the E-Mail 504 button, for example, byclicking once this button with a mouse attached to a personal computer,user-interface 500 displays only the electronic mail messages listed,for example, chronologically as depicted in FIG. 6. When the userselects the Fax 506 button, user-interface 500 displays only thefacsimile messages, which are once again listed chronologically asdepicted in FIG. 7. When the user selects the Voice Mail 508 button,user-interface 500 displays only the voice mail messages, listedchronologically, as depicted in FIG. 8. Of course, the user may at anytime select the All-inbox 502 button and revert back to a display whereall messages are listed chronologically.

FIGS. 9 and 10 depict the steps performed by UMS server 340 when itreceives a message for a user and displays the message in accordancewith user input. Although the steps of the flow chart are described in aparticular order, one skilled in the art will appreciate that thesesteps may be performed in a different order. The first step performed isthat UMS server 340 receives a new message (step 902). Upon receiving anew message the UMS server stores the new message for retrieval byanother user(s) who may be the designated recipients of this message(step 904). Next, UMS server 340 assigns a new message identifier to thenew message (step 906). Of course, this message may be of any type.Then, UMS server 340 determines whether the sender of the message hasdesignated the message as an urgent message (step 908). If the sender ofthe message has designated the message to be an urgent message then UMSserver 340 attaches an urgent status indicator to the message (step910).

Subsequently, in step 912, UMS server 340 determines whether the messageis a voice mail message. If the message is a voice mail message, thenUMS server 340 assigns the new message a voice mail type identifier(step 914). Next, UMS server asks whether the message is a text message,or in other words whether the message is an electronic mail message(step 916). If the message is an electronic mail message, UMS server 340assigns the new message an E-mail type identifier (step 918). In thenext step, UMS server 340 assigns the new message a facsimile typeidentifier because the message is found to be neither of a voice mailtype of message nor an electronic mail type of message (step 920).Although the steps of the flow chart depict processing of three messagetypes, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the systems andmethods consistent with the present invention may be used to processadditional message types. For example, another message type could be apage from a paging device.

In addition, the systems and methods consistent with the presentinvention may be used to segregate messages as a function of thedestination of the message. Specifically, UMS server 340 stores inputmessages where each message has an associated identifier indicating eachmessage's destination. Upon receiving an input signal from a user, UMSserver 340 may display messages for a particular destination only. Forexample, UMS server 340 may attach a different identifier to eachmessage indicating whether the message is destined for a user's home ora user's office. The user may then select an icon on the user interfaceassociated with the UMS server 340 to view only those messages that wereaddressed to her office. Similarly, the user may select another icon toview only those messages that were addressed to her home. Although, thepresent invention describes use of two icons to switch from a view thatdisplays messages destined for a user's office to a view that displaysmessages destined for a user's home, one skilled in the art wouldunderstand that a single toggle switch or a single icon may also beused.

Referring now to FIG. 10, when a user accesses UMS server 340, the useris logged in based after matching user's user-name and passwordinformation (step 921). After the user is logged in UMS server 340displays all messages intended for that user, as a default view for thatparticular user (step 922). UMS server 340 then determines whether theuser has selected the E-Mail 504 button (step 924). If the user hasselected the E-Mail button then UMS server 340 displays E-Mail messagesonly (step 926), as shown in FIG. 6. If the user has not selected theE-Mail button, then UMS server 340 determines whether the user hasselected the Fax 506 button (step 928). If yes, then UMS server 340displays facsimile messages only (step 930), as depicted in FIG. 7. Ifthe user has not selected the Fax button, then UMS server 340 determineswhether the user has selected the Voice Mail 508 button (step 932). Ifyes, then UMS server 340 displays the voice mail messages only (step934), as depicted in FIG. 8. Of course, one skilled in the art wouldrecognize that UMS server 340 continuously monitors and responds to theactivity of a user, such that whenever a user selects any one of thebuttons the UMS server switches the display in accordance with thatbutton selection.

The foregoing description of an implementation of the invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notexhaustive and does not limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of theabove teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the invention. Forexample, the described implementation includes software but the presentinvention may be implemented as a combination of hardware and softwareor in hardware alone. In addition, one skilled in the art wouldrecognize that the UMS server may store messages of other types,including video or multimedia messages, pages from paging devices, anddistinguish these message types using additional message identifiers,and segregate messages by type. Although aspects of the presentinvention are described as being stored in memory, one skilled in theart will appreciate that these aspects may also be stored on or readfrom other computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices,like hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-Rom; a carrier wave from theInternet; or other forms of RAM or ROM. The scope of the invention isdefined by the claims and their equivalents.

1. A method for providing unified messaging, comprising: storing aplurality of input messages directed to a user, each input message beingof a particular type selected from a group consisting of a voicemessage, a text message, and an image, wherein the input messagesfurther identify different user destinations; determining the type ofeach input message; assigning an identifier for each input message basedon the determined message type; displaying a view of the input messages,the view including information identifying and the assigned identifierfor each input message; providing in the displayed view at least oneicon associated with one of the input message types that, when selected,eliminates from the view all of the input messages except thoseassociated with the input message type of the icon; receiving a signalindicating a selection to view messages identifying a particular userdestination; and modifying the view of the input messages based on thereceived signal.
 2. A method for providing unified messaging,comprising: storing a plurality of input messages directed to a user,each input message being of a particular type selected from a groupconsisting of a voice message, a text message, and an image, wherein theinput messages further identify different user destinations; displayinga view of at least a subset of the input messages, the view including,for each input message, information identifying the message and acorresponding identifier determined based on the type of the message;receiving a signal indicating a selection to view only messages of aparticular type; modifying the view of the subset of the input messagesbased on the received signal; receiving a signal indicating a selectionto view messages identifying a particular user destination; andmodifying the view of the subset of the input messages based on thereceived signal.
 3. A method for providing unified messaging,comprising: storing a plurality of input messages directed to a user,each input message being of a particular type selected from a groupconsisting of a voice message, a text message, and an image, wherein theinput messages further identify different user destinations; determiningthe type of each input message; assigning an identifier for each inputmessage based on the determined message type; displaying a view of theinput messages, the view including, for each input message, informationidentifying and the assigned identifier for the input message; providingin the displayed view a plurality of icons, each icon associated withone of the types of input messages; inputting a signal indicatingselection of one of the icons; modifying the view of the input messagessuch that only the identifying information for each input message of aparticular type based on the inputted signal is included in the view;receiving a signal indicating a selection to view messages identifying aparticular user destination; and modifying the view of the inputmessages based on the received signal.
 4. A method for providing unifiedmessaging, comprising: storing a plurality of input messages directed toa user, each input message being of a particular type selected from agroup consisting of a voice message, a text message, and an image,wherein the input messages further identify different user destinations;determining the type of each input message; assigning an identifier foreach input message based on the determined message type; identifying aset of the input messages that indicate receipt within a predeterminedperiod of time; displaying a view of the set of the input messages, theview including information identifying and the assigned identifier foreach input message in the set, segregated by type; providing in thedisplayed view at least one icon associated with one of the inputmessage types that, when selected, eliminates from the view all of theinput messages except those associated with the input message type ofthe icon; receiving a signal indicating a selection to view messagesidentifying a particular user destination; and modifying the view of theset of the input messages based on the received signal.
 5. A method forproviding unified messaging comprising the steps, performed by aprocessor, of; storing a plurality of input messages directed to a user,each identifying one of at least two different user destinations, the atleast two different user destinations including the user's office andthe user's home; displaying a view of at least a subset of the inputmessages, the view including, for each input message, informationidentifying the message; receiving a signal indicating a selection toview messages identifying a particular destination of the at least twodifferent user destinations; and modifying the view of the subset of theinput messages based on the received signal.